ABOVE THE CHAIR

Bruce Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3102, 26 September 1899, Page 2

ABOVE THE CHAIR

(By Autolycus.) On Tuesday in the Lower House once again came on for (debate the motion that the report of the Committee lie on the table, being the question under discussion. An amendment that the report be referred to the Government for consideration was moved. On going to the vote there was a tie, 30 for and 30 against. The Speaker voted against the amendment. The Minister for Railways moved that the report be referred back to the Committee. Mr Lewis reviewed the evidence and contended that* the services performed by Wrigg were not worthy of a Cross being granted. He declared that the means adopted by Wrigg to obtain the N.Z. Cross were degrading. The finding of the Committee that Wrigg waa not entitled to the Cross was not a reflection on the Minister for Defence. Mr Bollard also reviewed the evidence, which he said showed that Wrigg did perform the service claimed, but there was a difference of opinion as to the degree of danger incurred. Captain Russell said the Premier had birked discussion. He contended that tho service claimed, even if performed, did not entitle Wrigg to a pension. The means adopted by Wrigg to obtain the Cross were degrading. The Premier, replying, declared it was absurd to state that the matter was not a party oue, as the Opposition had endeavored to! make political capital out of the Gov. ernment for granting the Cross. The committee was unanimous that the Government was not to bUme in recommending that the Cross be granted to Wrigg. Replying to the argument that after a lapse of 30 years the Cross should not have been granted, he pointed to cases where the Cross had been granted to persons after a lapse ot 24 and 17 years respectively. He stated that there was no doubt that Wrigg had performed an act of bravery. The question should be referred back to the Committee for further consideration, and a full discussion follow in the House. Messrs Moore and G. Hutcheson also spoke. The debate was interrupted by the dinner adjournment. j Most of the evening was taken up in considering a Bill the main object of which is j allow Colonel Pitt, of Nelson, to take his seat in the Legislative Council. As will be remembered, this gentleman was one of the late appointees of the Government to that august chamber. After he had been appointed, it was discovered tbat he was disqualified owing to not having resigned his salaried position as Commandant at Nelson o , Everybody seems to have got into a fog over the Bill, which is entitled The- Volonteer j and Militia Officers Parliamentary Privileges Act. Messrs Tommy Taylor and J Hutcheson had a night out aud enjoyed , themselves to the top of their beut in their characteristic want of manner. After wasting several hours doing nothing, progress was reported. During the discussion the question of an elective Upper House was gone into, and the Premier stated he would not agree to any such change unless it was made elective ou the principle of the Hare system. No doubt the Premier, as he is shortly to appoint ten members, is not anxious to "first catch your hare ''—system. All over the North Island for years sea fulls have been protected by law, and lately the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society — we have little to thank these societies for except acclimatising pests — got the Government to protect gulls in the South Island. Representations have, however, been made from several districts of late, notably South Canterbury, as to the mischievous nature of these birds in attacking sheep ancl so on. After considering the matter, the Colonial Secretory informed a deputation of members on Friday afternoon that he would give farmers the right to shoot gulls on their own farms. The member for Bruce seems to take a keen interest of late in those who have beeu breaking the law in transferring shares. A short time back he took up their cause with the endeavor to stop the Government prosecuting people who had committed In-eaches of the Stamp Act. The question is, why is Mr Alltn so interested in the matter? Of course ho— a legislator— who helps to make our liwa would never dream ol breaking them. Ie is, however, very amusing to notice lv.s Keenness in trying to stop the Government widening its field and prosecuting ali those who h-ive committed breaches of the Stamp Act. It is also more than intereating to remember that Mr Allen belongs to the party that prides itself on its chaste put ity in all things political. A party that looks up to Heaven, turns up the whites of its eyes, and calls the world to wituess to its purity and its trewth. Yet we have one of its leading members, without a blush, coming forward and openly championing those who have broken the law. lf a Ministerial member was to do such a thing the Opposition and its papers would at once denounce tbe proceeding as monstrous. On Friday the member for Bruce again brought the matter before the Colonial Secretary. He said he understood the Minister to say on a previous occasion that there would be no fresh prosecutions, but he (Mr Allen) had received a letter from a lady in Alexandra, stating that her boy, eighteen years of age, had been served with a summons, and that she herself was in daily of also being served with notice of proceedings He asked the Minister to give some definite assurance tbat the prosecution « would cease. -The Hon. Mr Carroll's reply was in terms similar to his statement eight or nine days --go on the subject-namely, that a batch of seventeen evasions of the Act had been picked out, and that onjy these would be taken at present, and that the question of remission of iioes would be considered on their merits afterwards. He advised the defendants to plead guilty, and apply afterwards for remission of fines, which, owing to the minimum fixed by the Act, were rather heavy, and ke jvonld judge each case on its merits. $c j-tehfi jl» fco be '

clearly understood, however, that subsequent breaches of the Act would be taken cognisance of. If thia is not interfering with the fountain of justice I should like to know what is. The next time the Opposition members say anything about alleged Liberal interference with magistrates, &c. T that party Bhould hide itself and blush— if it can. ■'. '■' —:-: ' " j